Law & Order Season 10 Episode 2 cast: Here’s who brought the procedural to life

Law & Order Season 10 opens Episode 2, “Killerz,” with one of the show’s most disturbing investigations after the dead body of young Aaron Polanski is found near a construction site.

Detectives Lennie Briscoe and Ed Green at first believe that they are looking into a s*xual assault case because the boy is found with his pants pulled down his waist and with an AAA battery stuffed right inside his mouth.

However, the medical examiner changes the direction of the investigation after confirming that Aaron has died from a fatal blow to the head and was not s*xually assaulted. That detail takes the detectives to two eyewitnesses, Tara Padden and Jenny Brandt, whose versions of events start to fall apart during questioning.

As the case develops, the detectives start suspecting that the girls were not simply witnesses but were rather directly involved in causing Aaron’s death. Tara appears to be nervous and confused, but Jenny stays emotionless even while discussing violent behavior.

The second half of Law & Order Season 10 Episode 2 moves into psychological territory after Dr. Skoda evaluates Jenny and finds out about some deeply troubling patterns related to her behavior, the family environment that she's been in, and the lack of remorse she shows.

ADA Jack McCoy pushes for institutionalization, while Dr. Elizabeth Olivet argues that treatment outside a mental facility is still possible. The episode ends on an unsettling note that leaves us questioning whether the justice system has completely failed the victim.

Here’s a closer look at the characters and cast members who brought this Law & Order Season 10 Episode 2 to life.

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Law & Order Season 10 Episode 2 cast: Here’s who brought the procedural to life

Hallee Hirsh as Jenny Brandt

Jenny is a 10-year-old girl, and she's also a literal child sociopath. She is cold, shows zero emotion, and has a flat way of speaking to others. In Law & Order Season 10 Episode 2, she lured a young boy, Aaron, to a construction site and killed him by hitting him on his head.

She has a history of torturing animals (she even admits to killing a cat), and she also apparently hates men. She understands way too much about adult things because her mother openly has s*x with men right in front of her.

The only weirdly human thing she did was put a AAA battery in the dead boy’s mouth because she thought, based on TV, it would shock him back to life.

Hallee Hirsh is also known for: ER & Chasing the Rain

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Madeline Blue as Tara Padden

Tara is the 13-year-old girl who was with Jenny during the crime. She is older than Jenny but has been held back a few grades in school and isn't very smart.

In Law & Order Season 10 Episode 2, she helps Jenny to cover up the murder and lies to the police at first. However, unlike Jenny, Tara is someone you do feel bad for.

She didn't actually do the killing; she was just a scared witness who got dragged into the crime and was terrified afterward.

Madeline Blue is also known for: The Sopranos & Justified

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Jerry Orbach as Detective Lennie Briscoe

Lennie is the lead police detective who's investigating the case. Along with his partner, he finds Aaron's dead body at a construction site and starts tracking down what happened.

He interviews the witnesses, realizes the two young girls are completely lying to him, and eventually finds out the truth that these kids have actually committed a murder.

Jerry Orbach is also known for: Prince of the City & Murder, She Wrote.

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Jesse L. Martin as Detective Ed Green

Ed is Lennie Briscoe’s younger partner, and he works with Lennie trying to solve the murder.

In Law & Order Season 10 Episode 2, Ed helps figure out that the timeline and stories given by the girls don't really add up, and works to piece together the evidence showing that Jenny and Tara weren't just two eyewitnesses, but rather, they were the killers.

Jesse L. Martin is also known for: The Irrational & Ally McBeal.

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Sam Waterston as Jack McCoy (ADA - Assistant District Attorney)

Jack McCoy is the prosecutor who represents the state. Once the police arrest Jenny, McCoy's job is to figure out what can be done with the kid.

After looking at all the terrifying facts and psychological reports from Law & Order Season 10 Episode 2, he is convinced that Jenny is dangerous and that she's irredeemable.

He fights hard to have her legally committed to a secure state mental hospital so she can't hurt anyone else, though he ultimately loses the fight in court.

Sam Waterston is also known for: Grace and Frankie & The Newsroom.

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J.K. Simmons as Dr. Emil Skoda

Dr. Skoda is a psychological expert, and he interviews Jenny to analyze her behavior patterns. Given his career path, he knows enough to understand that people who grow up to be dangerous sociopaths usually abuse animals first, so he asks her about it.

J.K. Simmons is also known for: Spider-Man & Whiplash

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Carolyn McCormick as Dr. Elizabeth Olivet

In Law & Order Season 10 Episode 2, Dr. Olivet is a psychologist who acts as the defense's expert witness. She is hired by Jenny’s lawyer to argue against McCoy. Olivet tries to be empathetic and argues that Jenny is just a product of growing up in a bad environment and that she can be treated normally without being locked up in a scary state hospital.

Carolyn McCormick is also known for: You Know My Name & Killer Daddy Issues

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Luba Mason as Jocelyn Brandt (Jenny’s Mother)

Jocelyn is a textbook example of a useless parent. In Law & Order Season 10 Episode 2, she doesn't physically abuse Jenny, but she does treat her 10-year-old daughter like a "best friend" or a girlfriend instead of treating her as a kid.

She brings a constant stream of random men into their apartment and has s*x with them right in front of Jenny. Even after Jenny murders Aaron, Jocelyn whines and begs the court not to take her "best friend" away, caring way more about her own loneliness than getting her daughter the much-needed psychiatric help.

Luba Mason is also known for: The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live & Red Pill

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Joseph Murphy as Vince Brandt (Jenny’s Father)

In Law & Order Season 10 Episode 2, Vince is Jenny's dad, and he is currently in prison. Even though Jenny says she doesn't care about him and that she hates men in general, she secretly does have a relationship with her father.

She talks to him on the phone whenever her babysitter gives her the chance, and she also sends him drawings.

Ironically, even though he is a criminal in jail, he seems to understand how messed up Jenny is and worries about her way more than her mother does.

Joseph Murphy is also known for: Sex and the City & Nothing but the Truth

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Ann Talman as Mrs. Ruth Polanski (Aaron’s Mother)

Ruth is Aaron's mom, and she doesn't have a big role to play in Law & Order Season 10 Episode 2 other than being the grieving mother who has to deal with the horrific reality of her son being dead and gone.

Ann Talman is also known for: Archaeology of a Woman & Serendipity

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Supporting cast/characters for Law & Order Season 10 Episode 2

• S. Epatha Merkerson as Lieutenant Anita Van Buren
• Angie Harmon as A.D.A. Abbie Carmichael
• Steven Hill as D.A. Adam Schiff
• Lauren Klein as Judge Carla Solomon
• Jim Bracchitta as Defense Attorney Jason Goidell
• Leslie Hendrix as M.E. Elizabeth Rodgers
• Larry Clarke as Detective Morris LaMotte
• Mary Mara as Defense Attorney Sharkey
• Annie Golden as Frances Padden
• Sarah Brockus as Charlene Polanski
• Jacqueline Knapp as Judge Arlene C
• Daniel Hilt as Andrew "Shorty" Shortman
• Alan Davidson as Dale Vernette
• Paul Reggio as Bob Ward
• Keith Franklin as Jonas
• Joey Temperini as Billy
• Jo Twiss as Erica Lang
• Erin Rakow as Gabbie Lang
• Kamal Marayati as Soucha
• George Morafetis as Botelli
• William Paul Michals as Fred Hansen
• Joe Zaloom as Nick
• Evan Katz as Jake Hansen
• George F. Miller as a Clerk
• Anthony Barrile as Fiske
• Lou George as Mark Berger

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